Handle for sewn valve bags



p 1950 M. MACCAFERRI 2,522,833

HANDLE FOR SEWN VALVE BAGS Filed June 11. 1948 lnnmmluinuu 11 Ill 1JNVENTOR. v 11/6/06! 6 77"! Cd Q Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE HANDLE FOR SEWN VALVE BAGS Mario Maccaferri, Rye, N. Y.Application June 11, 1948, Serial No. 32,379

sets with the laterally overhanging sewn plies.

form a structure which may be termed generally a pigs ear due to theresemblance of the structure thereto.

This overhanging of the sewn plies over the spaces formed by the gussetspresent some difficulty in the carrying of the bag by gripping the sewnplies by hand. If two fingers, one on each hand, would be inserted inthe gusset, it would not be practical as too cumbersome. The conceptunderlying this invention is to anchor to the sewn plies a handle at apoint as far inward of the gusset space as possible and yet permit atilting movement of the handle without it being obstructed by any partof the bag, in order to enable the other end ofthe handle to be anchoredto the other end of the sewn plies inwardly of the gusset space as faras practical without that other end of the handle being obstructed bythat other end of the sewn plies. The handle itself when verticallydisposed is substantially O shaped. Thus the anchoring end of the handlehas a pivoting action in the application of the handle. Also, theanchoring at the points indicated and the weight of the bag upon thehandle at its bag contacting points, causes the forces to be distributedfrom the anchoring point below the sewn plies and translated to theplies of the bag forming the gusset with the forces assumed bytransposed walls of the gussets in a gradual manner instead of suddenly,whereby tearing is prevented. I i

The invention consists of a hand gripping portion having lateralextensions with bag engaging parts below the sewn plies and within thespace formed by the gusset below the sewn plies, with a spaced portionbetween said parts and the gripping portion to permit a tilting movementfor the entrance of one of said parts, and a spaced portion at the otherend to permit entrance of the other part into the gusset space and belowthe sewn plies, so. that the other part of the handle may be anchored tothe lower surface of the sewn plies.

An embodiment of the invention in a plastic handle presents a specialconstruction to resist strains and stresses, with strengthening ribs andSuch a handle has a hand,

gripping portion of rounded contour to make it i 2 agreeable for thehand, and then a vertical we with flanges resembling an I beam extendinglaterally of the gripping portion and of ire-entrant shape, with anarrow bight preferably with one or more teeth to engage the bag. H

The invention will be further described, embodiments thereof shown inthe drawings, and the invention will befinally pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an improved handle applied to a bag,partly broken away;

Fig; 2 is a front view of one embodiment of a handle removed from thebag;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2-;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective taken on line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line l--'! of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a partial front view of another form of handle; I

Fig. 9 is a partial view of another form of handle;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic diagram of the operation of the parts; and vFig. 11 is a partial view showing the tooth of the handle engaging intothe gusset.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe various views.

Referring to the drawings, the handle ID has a gripping portion H forthe hand, and lateral extensions l2, with dependent re-entrant jaws I3having teeth 14. The lateral extensions l2 are in a direction asindicated by the dot-dash lines l5inFig. 2.

In bags used to convey fertilizers, food compounds, fiour, cement,plaster of Paris, and other powdered material or compounds used forcommercial purposes, the open ends of the bag made of several plies ofpaper, after the bag has been filled, usually by automatic machinery,are joined together by stitching. The overlapping parts of the seamedends extend over a gusset portion of the bag. The character of this sewntop is such as to be resistant against tearing by the tension on thepaper or the like of the bag whenthe weight of the contents pulls on thepaper near the upper sewn top. For instance, if the seam could begripped by the hands, the weighted bag could be supported and conveyedwithout the bag material tearing. However, the seam is relatively narrowand provided a poor gripping surface for the fingers.

The improved handle is intended, to avail itself of the characteristicsof the bag as described, and as handles of this kind require compliancewith economicldemands, such as cheapness, and plastic material meetstheserequirements, the problem was to conceive a structure whichprovided cheapness in manufacture, with strength of resistanceto tearingstrains.

The improved handle has its gripping portion ll, formed of a rectangularshaped panel formed of a web 2|, and with rounded flanges 22. Therounded parts make it agreeable to the hand. If desired four fingergrooves may be provided on the bottom of the gripping portion. Below thegripping portion is a space 23. Each end of the gripping portion has anextension I2 formed of a web with a rounded flange 26, and a flattenedflange 2'! at right angles to the web. These flanges 26 and 2'! extendaround the lateral tips of the extensions and then inwardly, along thejaws l3. Each jaw I3 has a bevelled top portion or anvil 28, lateralflanges 29, and a web 30, which is a continuation of the web 25, theflanges 29 being a continuation of the flange 21, and the Web being acontinuation of the web 25. Upon the anvil 23, teeth i4, four in number,are provided. The anvil 28 inclines downwardly from the outer endinwardly. In the embodiment, Fig. 2, four teeth are used with their tipsin a straight line 3|, inclining downwardly. The smallest tooth I4a,extends furthest inwardly of the bag gusset, and the inclination asshown by 1 tips I4b, 14c and I 4d, is for holding the bag at theundersuriace of the sewn plies, in an inclined position, the sewn pliesbeing allowed to gather together, particularly when the width of thehandle is somewhat smaller than the width of the bag.

.As an alternative the anvil may be arranged more horizontally, and onetooth may be used (Fig. 8).

The gripping portion l l with the lateral extensions I2 is above theseamed bag, and the jaws are inserted into the gussets of the filled bagbelow the seamed top 35, and as the seamed top yields laterally from endto end when lateral pressure is applied, the longitudinal length of theimproved handle may be made slightly smallwidth of the bag taken at theinner walls of its gussets.

The angle between the lateral portion 12 and the jaw I3 is rather sharpwith a small rounded apex to permit a slight stretching action. The

lateral portion 12 is shaped to provide a space between it and the jawso that a substantial bight is provided. The length of the jaw is aboutone half of the length of a lateral portion. The walls of the bagforming the gusset and joined by the sewing or stitching areanti-clinical, that is they have an inclination in opposite directions.parts are so grouped as to have the general outline of an arch. Inconsequence, when a jaw enters the same, the resistance to the forcesresult- These ing from the weight of the bag contents on the plies ofthe bag, is supported by the jaws.

In Fig. 9 is shown one end of a handle made of several plies of plywoodjoined together by an adhesive. The jaw 40 has a tooth 4|, and betweenthe jaw 40 and the gripping handle 42, a widely curved depending part 43is provided. Thereby a space 44 is provided to enable a play therein forthe end of the sewn bag end.

In Fig. 10, a handle 45 has a gripping portion 46 of a bored woodencylinder, through which a strong weight resisting wire 41 passes, havingtwo ends 48, each end having a jaw 49, extending from an inturned part50, with the wire 41 curved to provide a space 5| for the end of thesewn end 35 of the bag 35a which is of several layers or plies 35b (Fig.5)

In Fig. 11 is shown a part of the sewn bag top 35 of the bag 3511, withthe gusset 55 formed by the bag, and the manner of the curved shaped endof the handle entering the anti-clinical gusset 55, and engaging thelower surface of the sewn end 35. When the weight of the filled bag isapplied to the handle, the walls of the gussets dispose themselvesresiliently to take up the weightstrains or forces, and by displacementof the same, the forces are distributed to the walls of the bag.

The anchoring or supporting action is such as to provide a distributionof the reaction forces preventing the tearing of the plies of the bag.

Thus, when a customer desires to carry a bag of 25 pounds or less, onejaw is inserted into one gusset, and then into the other gusset, and ifthe handle is somewhat less in width than the Width of the bag, the sewnend plies, are somewhat crumpled.

Heretofore when customers purchased 10 or 25 pound bags, it wasnecessary to wrap them in paper and tie the package with strings. Theuse of this handle saves time of wrapping and unwrapping.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a handle for bags of the sewn valve type, the combination with acentrally disposed hand gripping portion, of a curved portion at eachlateral end of the hand gripping portion, for the entry therein of alateral end of the sewn top of the bag, to envelop an end of the sewnbag, and a bag engaging portion connected tangentially to each lower endof the curved portion, and adapted to engage the lower surface of thesewn top of the bag, and each of said bag engaging portions having anupper surface extending inwardly from the curved portion towards thevertical median line of the handle and having a tooth projectingupwardly from the inwardly extending surface to engage said lowersurface of the sewn top of the bag enveloped by the curved portion.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which the handle is of a plasticmaterial and the gripping portion is flat with a top and bottom roundedportion with lateral strengthening flanges, and said curved portion, haswebs and spaced flanges at right angles thereto, and said bag engagingportions has webs and flanges at right angle thereto in continuationwith the webs and flanges of the curved portions.

MARIO MACCAFERRI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,166,841 Leech Jan. 4, 19162,285,399 Arneson June 9, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date22,675 Norway Oct. 14, 1912

